There's a big wide world out there…..

The gardens that Ursula planned. Carrick Hill had been the private home of Edward and Ursula Hayward. Both Edward and Ursula came from prominent (read wealthy) South Australian families, Ursula's were pastoralists and landowners and her father gave the couple the land as a wedding gift. They built the house in the years 1937 to 39 and during the same period Ursula planned the garden. Momotaro The statue of Momotaro wasn't one of the Hayward's acquisitions but rather comes from the time that the state government accepted the bequest of the Carrick Hill estate and open it to the public. The statue was presented by the city of Okayama on the occasion of Adelaide's 150 anniversary of white settlement in 1986. (Which is also when the estate was officially opened to visitors, Edward Hayward having died in 1983, Ursula in 1972. Information from helpful pamphlet when you enter the house!) The statue is of the character Momotaro (Peach Boy) who set off to d...

Everglades House and Garden, Blue Mountains

A National Trust property I took the train to the Blue Mountains from Sydney and planned it as a day trip. Katoomba was my gateway to the Blue Mountains and once there I opted to get a ticket on the Hop on Hop Off bus. It just seemed the easiest way to cover the main stops I wanted. There was an added bonus too and that was it introduced me to a few other places I hadn't been aware of. One of those places was Everglades House and Gardens at Leura. It's a National Trust property to free entry to Trust members. Out come my membership card and in I went! Unlike most National Trust Properties Everglades wasn't established as a permanent home, it was to be a weekend retreat. Once rail access was established to the Blue Mountains, wealthy Sydneysiders bought properties in the Blue Mountains to escape to on the weekend. In 1932 industrialist Henri Van de Velde bought the Everglades site which had great views over the Jamison Valley. He commissioned a landscape designer c...

St Barnabas' Chapel, Norfolk Island

A Little Jem to discover in the Pacific St Barnabas Chapel I love visiting Norfolk Island, its quaintness really appealed to me. And I really loved discovering this gem of a church and learning its history. My first full day on the island we were taken on a half day tour of some of the sights, a stop at this church was included in the tour. What made it even more personal was that our tour guide had been married in the church and her mother had as well. The first Anglican bishop of New Zealand established the Melanesian mission on Norfolk Island in 1867, a college and church were built as a training facility for missionaries who would then go and work in the Melanesian Islands. Over the years hundreds of students came from the various islands to train at the college and then returned back to their communities. The Melanesian Mission remained on Norfolk Island until 1920, when it moved to the Solomon Islands. They left behind their beautiful church. The altar and histori...

Powered by Blogger

All materials on this site are protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced